Some of you may have been hearing about the last few months...my son, who recently turned 18 has been trying to get his drivers license.First let me explain why he had to wait so long to get it...

He went thru the driver's ed course with his friends at 15, passed it and got his permit at 16. But as some of you may know...he took my car for a joy ride one night and wrecked it. Not too badly...just the back driver's side door crunched. He tried to swerve to miss hitting a deer and ended up hitting a tree instead. Needless to say he was scared straight...for a bit.

I on the other hand became reluctant to let him drive...seeing as how he not only wrecked my car but acted irresponsibly by taking it in the first place. So I put off getting him a license.

Then we move down here. I told him as soon as we moved I would let him get his license...however, within an hour of being here...not even long enough for me to get in and out of a shower...he had taken my car again!

I don't know how far he drove...at least into the next county which is a good 20 minutes away...but I called him and told him to get his ass back immediately!

He ended up being very unhappy with the new living arrangements...didn't like the small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go...so he went to 'visit' friends in another state...and stayed for 3 months. When he came back, we found out he'd have to have a NC learner's permit for 6 months before they'd let him get a driver's license...and his next birthday was 5 months away when he'd turn 18 anyway. So we waited.

His birthday came...he went to take the written test...and didn't pass. After trying a few more times...he finally decided to ask for help and went to a local driving school, spent an entire Saturday morning with a very nice old man who went thru the book and let him take all five tests they give...which he passed with a 89 percent!

So...on tuesday Billy took him back to the DMV so he could re-take the test again...and this time he PASSED!!

They didn't have time to take the road test so I took him this morning to do that...it was almost anti-climactic...10 minutes, and they didn't even drive on any main roads.

So now my baby is a licensed driver! My little boy is a young man...it makes me a little sad, and very nervous. But also very proud.

I asked him after he drove my car to Winston to get lunch if he felt any different...he said no. I was thinking about when I first started driving by myself...and I remember feeling "all grown up". Especially driving on the freeway the first time. Or making my first long trip by myself...5 hours to the U.P. and having to drive across the Mackinaw Bridge (it was at night so not so scary!).

I remember driving my first car, a '79 mustang that was a stick shift...I thought I'd never get the hang of it!

And I remember my first brand new car...the first one in my family. An '82 hyundai...when they first started being sold in the US...I was in Florida and traded in the Mustang for that.

So...now it's his turn. He's grown up alot in the last year, realizing that his behavior of two or three years ago is no longer acceptable...he's a grown up now and has to be responsible. He knows he can't just take off to go somewhere...he knows he has to let someone know where he's going and if his plans change in mid-route.

And as always I pray to every God that watches over a mother's child whether they're 8 or 18 or 80...to please keep my little boy safe.

I can empathize with this!! I have 3 kids, and 2 of them wrecked my car, the same one, within a year of each other!! Now they are all grown up with kids of their own, so now, along with praying to the Great Spirit to protect my kids, it's grandkids also!! Ain't kids FUN!!!!??

I remember going through all of that...the kid, the cops, the court. He is not a little boy anymore. If he isn't in school, why is he at home? It sounds like he is coddled a bit too much. What often happens is they feel entitled and don't get their act together until they get on their own and get fired from jobs a few times. The second time he took the car, I would have kicked his ass out, especially if their are younger ones in the home.

Like I said...he's grown up alot in the last year...has a full-time job and pays for his own stuff now.

I'm not going to say I was a perfect parent, but I've done the best I could with what I had.

StraddleMyNose

Mar 27 @ 6:48PM

Glad everything has worked out.

canuhelpme258

Mar 27 @ 6:51PM

lmao he's in the kitchen now acting like a 12 year old

Scottishtease

Mar 27 @ 7:20PM

Congratulations, on your baby's accomplishment, there's a shoulder here for crying on and commenting on how they grow up so fast!!! Tease.

str8ngr84u2

Mar 27 @ 8:23PM

My 19 yr old still doesn't have a lisence for very much the same reason. Only his accident was much more severe. Anyway, he is still too stubborn to ask for help to pass the test...

I know how scarey it is for them to "grow up" but still be babies... God help us!! After all, just ask them-they don't need help...

GSpotGina

Mar 27 @ 8:34PM

I never let my oldest drive my car. She did get her license on her own as soon as she could. She learned between my brother and her friends taking her out. I explained that I didn't use my parents or get my own car until I was 21. By the time she was 21 though, she was still seriously goofing off too much. I finally made a deal with her, I would take a loan for another car, but she had to hold a full time job, make the payments and pay half the car insurance. It was her car. She surprised the shit out me. She actually did it. After three years of consistent payments and responsibility, the car was paid off and this year she got her own brand new 2008 Honda Civic.

I don't know if this would have worked when she was 18.

NightOfOld

Mar 27 @ 9:44PM

Remember; He may have grown up and become a man. But he will always be your son, your child, your baby. And you will never stop worrying about him. Let's hope he learned a valuable lesson from the wait

beefygoblin

Mar 27 @ 11:12PM

Wait...how do you not pass that test? I remember that thing, Bush could ace it without paying someone off...

Sundance, I thought my son was the only one to take the car. My son took his stepdad's pickup for a joy ride. they tried to stop him and at 15 he was going a speeds over 100 mph. The Ex called at 2:00 am and ask me to help. I found him and blocked the road with my car. Him and his 2 friends jumped out and ran. All was good once he was out of the truck. This was not our best Christmas Eve. Those of us that are blessed with getting the kids grown without them killing themselves, or us killing them. Can count ourselves lucky.

SxzeNewMe

Mar 28 @ 1:51AM

My little boy is a young man...it makes me a little sad, and very nervous.

Oh, I know the feeling! My oldest will be 27 and I still feel like that! But it does get better...at least, you worry less over time. He'll be fine! (But...um...I don't want him driving me through no mountains! )